


Moments Like These

by asiatiques



Category: Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-02-22 23:08:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23768614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asiatiques/pseuds/asiatiques
Summary: Five times Artemis *almost* confesses his inner demons to a certain elf, and the one time he did. Fluff and AH await.Crossposted from FFN.
Relationships: Artemis Fowl II/Holly Short
Comments: 24
Kudos: 89





	1. Inside Your Mind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to my innocent 5+1 fic. It's cheesy, fluffy, and just plain OOC - just like any crappy fanfiction. (I gotta say, it's tons of fun to write.) Enjoy!

Artemis woke with a surprisingly good start to his day. The gentle, easy smirk he held as he walked around the manor was a shock to Butler and his brothers. It was so uncharacteristic of Artemis to be smiling, one would think he was a delusional fool.

After all, most genii usually were.

Artemis strolled into the kitchen, a little spring in his step.

"Good morning, Butler."

Butler looked up from the stove to greet Artemis. "Something's gotten you in high spirits," he said.

"Yes, my patent for the solar battery is nearly complete. I only need to finalize the details within the phosphorus coating before I present it to the UN."

He shook his head, too used to the boy's tactics.

"You're not telling me everything, Artemis. Is it something personal?"

"You know me too well, old friend. However, you are correct," he said, smiling as he sat down. He grabbed a cup of steaming earl grey, the scent familiar and comfortable.

"It's Holly, isn't it?" If Artemis didn't know better, he would've spat the tea out. On the surface, his eyes only widened a fraction, but it wasn't unnoticed by Butler.

"Seems like I hit the mark," said Butler, smiling inwardly.

"You never missed anyway, old friend."

" I try, Artemis."

* * *

Once Artemis had thanked Butler for the meal, he went into the living room to play with the twins. Myles was trying to emulate his brother, for his wooden blocks transformed into a near-perfect replica of Fowl Manor, albeit without a few details. Beckett, however, was performing a theatrical rendition of _Angry Hamster vs. Hungry Troll._ His blocks were strewn about, getting smashed together, torn apart, and eaten. Artemis assumed that spit wasn't the only thing covering the blocks.

"Arty!" They shouted, jumping up to give him a heartwarming hug. Beckett displayed remarkable athleticism for his age, launching himself up to Artemis's shoulders.

"Hello Beckett, Myles." He glanced at the chaos around him. "I see you two have been busy with work. Perhaps you two would like to finger paint?"

The twins looked at Artemis and bobbed their heads furiously. After making Beckett put the wooden blocks away, they got the supplies out and poured out the paint and protected the floors with newspapers. Artemis didn't want to underestimate Beckett's power of causing a mess wherever he set foot. The boy was known to track dirt, mud, bodily fluids, and other various substances throughout the manor.

Artemis rolled his sleeves up and was about to begin his project before his fairy communicator rang. There was only one person who called him this way, and needless to say, he couldn't have been happier. Perhaps _this_ was the excitement he felt earlier.

"Just a minute, boys." Beckett took this as an invitation to start painting, though that was the least of Artemis's worries now.

He excused himself out of the room and picked up the call, his palm flat in front of him.

"Arty?" She said.

Artemis smiled at the projection. "It's great to see you, Holly." His eyes crinkled at the corners. He was smiling like an idiot again.

"How have you been? Has anything happened in Haven?"

"Eh, it's been the same as usual. Paperwork, Trouble, annoying recruits. To think that _I_ was a recruit once," she said.

"Well, I'm sure you were just as irritating. It's merely a taste of karma. I've had my fair share of it over the years."

"All bad, I hope," said Holly. All while smiling at him like a fool as well.

_And he loved every second of it._

"Your faith in me is astounding, Major Short."

 _Damn_. He felt confident, as if anything couldn't bother him. Karma be damned, it wasn't going to ruin his mood today. _Maybe today's the day to confess-_

"I have something to tell you," they blurted simultaneously.

"You go first, Holly," he said, ever the gentleman. Though he was still smiling, he felt the corner of his lips pull back slightly.

Holly continued. "Well... there's some urgent police business underground. And you're kind of the only person that can help us."

"Naturally," he said.

"Shut it, mud boy. Trouble's yelling at me to hurry up."

 _Well, I guess my confession can wait,_ he thought. "I see."

"Be down at Tara by midnight, and I'll bring you down to Haven. I'll brief you on everything in the shuttle and we'll decide on our plan."

"And you're piloting, I assume?"

"Is that a question, mud boy?"

_D'arvit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism is encouraged! Feel free to leave any opinions or thoughts as a PM or review. My chapter titles all have a theme, so try and guess where this one came from. This one's pretty easy, though.


	2. Infiltrate the Dealer, Find the Supplier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to anyone who reviewed! Also, if anyone knows which movie the title comes from, huge props to you. (It happens to be one of my favorite movies of all time.)

Artemis stood by the Tara shuttleport alone, the midnight air cold and damp. Stars flickered in the dark blanket that was the night sky. Even though Artemis wasn't usually an appreciator of the outdoors, he felt content at the sight of the rolling hills, the beautiful scenery, and the view of the McGraney farm.

_Precisely fifteen minutes early,_ he thought, glancing at his watch. As punctual as always. It wasn't like a Fowl to be late, after all.

Originally, Butler protested to his charge leaving on his own. However, Artemis pointed out that the innocent civilians were deathly afraid of the man mountain. And of course, Butler couldn't even stand up properly in Haven, being seven feet tall.

Artemis looked up expectantly, a relaxed smirk upon his features.

"Hello, Holly. Long time no see."

The elf seemingly appeared out of thin air, helmet in hand. "Get over here, mud boy." She grinned and held her arms out. Artemis nearly tripped before returning the embrace, and added a little pat on the back for longer than was strictly necessary.

"I see that you've been following your training routine," she snickered sarcastically.

Artemis rolled his eyes as they walked into the shuttleport.

* * *

The shuttle's nuclear engine revved and purred before taking off, and Holly pressed the autopilot button. She laid back, arms behind her head, hair disarrayed, and her legs on the console.

"So, Holly. What's our issue?"

She shifted in her seat. "Wow, straight to business, aren't we, Fowl? No 'I missed you,' or 'I haven't seen you in forever?'"

"Sorry," he said, slightly flustered. "It does seem like we only meet when there's an impending crisis."

"Yeah. Though, it _has_ been forever since I saw you. Any new updates?"

"Hm. Well, I'm working on a patent for a new solar battery. It's decades ahead of anything else on the market today."

Holly's eyes narrowed. "You hacked Foaly's blueprints, didn't you?"

"You act like this isn't a regular occurrence."

Holly's fists crunched up, nails digging into her skin.

"I know you and Foaly play with your computers all the time, but you can't just steal his work! Didn't they teach you not to plagiarize in elementary school?"

"It was merely a glance. His designs just gave me an edge to the competition."

Holly glared at Artemis, and he felt like her eyes were lasers, vaporizing his cells into fine dust, mixing them with stinkworm juice, and incinerating it at ten thousand degrees. Not a good sign.

_Elves are so emotional_ , he thought. _One minute, they're your best friend. The next, they're ready to travel through time and space to make sure that you don't do so much as breathe._

The two sat in silence for what felt like years. He swore that Holly's presence made the room heat up from sheer anger alone.

"Holly, this is ridiculous," he said. Just brief me on the mission, at least."

She sighed. "Fine. We've got two pixies smuggling human weapons to Haven - a couple, and we're at risk of another turf war. So…"

"...You need me to infiltrate the dealer, and find the supplier, correct? This must be a difficult case if you need my help."

_Ah, the smug bastard. He pisses me off to piss me off again. He'll never change, will he?_

"You see, I'm quite flattered by this," he said. "I assume that Commander Kelp used me as a last resort, didn't he?"

"Mhm."

"And you need me to intercept this couple because I'm the only person you can trust aboveground, correct?"

"Yup."

"Alright, and what is my payment?"

Holly bolted up and glared at Artemis. He felt his legs turn into limp noodles before giving in.

"Alright, I'll admit, that was my poor attempt at a joke. Spending time with you is enough payment for me."

Holly flushed a little before turning back to the console and piloting in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism is always welcome!


	3. Some Things Never Change

Commander Kelp sat in the meeting room, anxiously waiting for Holly's return. The constant smuggling lately was causing his hair to grey prematurely, so he sipped a mug of coffee to settle his nerves - black, as always.

_Boom!_

Ah, yes. Just in time.

Major Short kicked the door open, dragging a protesting mud boy by the tie, yanking him in.

"Lord, Holly. You'd know - _oof_ \- for someone whose known me for so long, you should know that I - _argh_ \- won't completely change from my past-"

" _Quiet_ ," Commander Kelp said, glaring at Artemis. Sighing, he stood up and projected a holographic map with countless locations marked in red, most of them in Russia. Holly grudgingly put Artemis down before sighing and taking a seat. Her eyes were shooting daggers at Artemis, ready to rip him apart if he made one wrong move.

Trouble pinched his nose before addressing the pair.

"Short, I assume you've told Fowl about our situation, correct?"

"Affirmative," she said, fists tight, still ready to pounce.

The Commander gestured to the hologram. "So-"

"-So the red locations are possible shuttle ports that the smugglers are using," said Artemis. "Have you even considered that their shuttleport isn't even on listed the map? What makes you so sure that _these_ are all the possible locations?"

"Artemis, don't-"

"My apologies. Give me a moment." Artemis pulled his phone out, enjoying Kelp's red face. Seeing him angered gave him joy, though he wasn't sure why. However, Holly was silently fuming. That definitely did _not_ give him joy.

"Fowl, I swear-"

"Aha. I've found them." The hologram glitched for a few moments before swapping to a satellite view of a suspicious crate and a rather luxurious shuttle - most likely bought by crime money.

"Northern Canada, just like I suspected. Russia could've been a possibility - too cold and radioactive for fairies to patrol, and there is less monitoring for the unlikely area. Russia would be my first choice and Canada second. Therefore, Canada is the better option, as you would most likely suspect Russia first. It seems as though your pixies are not as cunning as we thought. Case solved."

"How?"

Artemis grew impatient. "Simple deduction, Commander. If they weren't where you've already searched, think in the mind of a criminal, and you have your location. Am I done here?"

Commander Kelp couldn't believe he was being lectured so thoroughly by a mud child. However, he had to stay professional.

"Alright, you've found where they are. Now, you two will follow the dealers to the shuttleport, intercept the next shipment, and track the supplier's next location so we can lock them up for good."

"So… you're saying we're stowing away _..._ in a _trunk_?" Asked Holly.

"That is correct, Major Short."

* * *

Holly stormed out of the room, briskly walking down the hallway.

"Holly! Holly, wait!"

She spun around, her boots scraping the polished floor. "What do you want, mud boy?"

"What did I do?"

Again, she glared at him. "Don't pretend like you don't know, Artemis. First, you tell me before we even go in the room that you hacked our _confidential_ files, then you embarrass me in front of my commanding officer! And, you decided to hack our satellites right in front of us. How am I supposed to react?"

"Holly, I'm sorry, I-"

"D'arvit, Arty. You told me you were honest from now on - why can't you just be honest with me?"

"You know I can't change like that, Holly. It's just a part of who I am. I'm trying to change for the better." He wrapped his arms around her, his voice a gentle caress to her ears. "The fact that I'm even trying to better myself is incredible, and I have you, Holly Short, to thank for it."

"Arty, just… just forget about it." She broke out of the hug and ran away.

"Wait, Holly. Please, I- I really care-"

The echo of her combat boots against the floor surrounded him, leaving him alone in the silent corridor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof. Again, criticism is always welcome!


	4. Hands Touch, Eyes Meet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can anyone guess where this title comes from?

Hiding in the back of a truck was not an item on Artemis Fowl's bucket list. Tires screeched, crates collided, and he was sitting with Holly's arms around him.

"Claustrophobic?" He asked.

"Shut up, Arty."

"So… I take it that you're not mad at me anymore?"

"We'll talk about that later," she said, before curling up against him even tighter. Artemis couldn't help but smile.

* * *

After tracking down the dealer, the pair caught a shuttle to a nearby port. They managed to get inside the truck without any problems, and now they were simply waiting to arrive in Canada, hiding with the cargo.

It was a long drive through the country, and the pair woke up to find each other huddled even closer than before, like birds within a protective nest. Artemis sensed Holly wake up and tried to make some light conversation. However, the tension from the last argument still hung around them, like a cord that was ready to snap at a moment's notice.

"Have you been to Canada before? I hear it's beautiful," said Artemis.

"Once on a training mission for Vinyaya. You know how we fairies hate the cold, but it's stunning in person."

"Mm." He ran his fingers through her auburn hair, both sighing. He felt himself relax around Holly, unlike anyone else he knew. Not Butler, the twins, or his parents. However, the elephant in the room, er- truck, was dense, heavy. The heat from their previous argument remained, yet no one wanted to discuss it - but it was inevitable.

Holly sat up from their position against each other, the truck still rocking them. As she moved, Artemis couldn't help but miss the contact, the _spark_ between them.

" _Arty_ -"

" _Holly_ -"

" _I_ -" They paused for a moment, heterochromatic eyes meeting each other in the dark.

Holly spoke up first. "Arty, sometimes you're… you're a lot to handle. I know it's not always a bad thing, and Frond, it really helps us in a pinch sometimes, but I think you're a little too smart for your own good."

"Holly…"

"Artemis, just listen to me. I know that you can't go against your nature - it's just who you are. But sometimes, it's a little overwhelming."

He sighed, respecting her need for space. "I understand."

Artemis reached for his collar and pulled out the gold coin given to him many years ago. Human hands found elfin ones and they held the coin together. Though he couldn't quite see it, Holly's smile warmed him.

_I think I love you,_ he thought. But he couldn't say.

They fell asleep, hand in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gotta say, I never liked short chapters, but they seem to just get shorter as the story goes on. Oops. The next few will be much longer, at least.


	5. Watch What Happens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, some action.

After being jolted awake, Artemis and Holly woke up to find themselves at their stop. Holly took her Neutrino out and flicked it to the highest setting, cutting out a metal circle on the bottom of the truck. Any sensors or cameras nearby were blocked out by the jamming signal that Artemis placed, but it meant no communications between the truck and the Ops Booth.

"I'd assume there's a thick layer of snow beneath us to cushion the metal. It is Canada, after all."

_Thud_.

Holly gave a smirk and crawled through. Artemis waited behind for Holly to complete her part of the plan.

As she quietly shielded herself to the driver door, she gently used her omnitool to unlock it. Though they couldn't hear it in the trunk, _Pixies Rock Hard_ was blasting at full volume. There was some intense headbanging going on, as the driver closed his eyes and enjoyed the song like he would in a rock concert. Holly reached for the seeker sleeper in her pocket and opened the door, much to the driver's shock.

"Huh?" He said, before instantly being knocked unconscious by her Neutrino. He slumped against the seat and Holly placed the pill-like tracker on his leg. Now, it would erase the last five minutes of his memories, and he could be tracked anywhere and put to sleep with the solinium pill.

Satisfied, Holly banged a rhythm against the truck - Artemis's cue to leave.

Once he clumsily hopped through the tiny hole, they walked out, feeling the cold Canadian weather chill them to the core. They made their way to the abandoned shuttleport, hiding out. The tracker came with a microphone, so any audio from the seeker sleeper was relayed directly to Holly's helmet.

While they waited, the lights above shone against the deep, rich blanket of the universe. The window in the shuttleport provided a gorgeous view of the Northern Lights as they danced. Greens, turquoises and purples cast long, velvety curtains of light across the scene, draping like a silk tablecloth.

Awe and wonder shone in her eyes, for she had always appreciated the outdoors. Artemis couldn't help but enjoy the view as well.

"Who would've known that hiding in an abandoned building could be so breathtaking?"

"Arty, it's wonderful."

He chuckled. "You know, the Aurora Borealis is a phenomenon caused by the Earth's magnetic field. Neon, oxygen, argon, and other gases in the atmosphere are attracted to the magnetic poles."

"Here we go again... the mud boy just doesn't know when to shut up now, does he?" Holly rolled her eyes. Much to her displeasure, Artemis kept lecturing her.

"Particles from the sun strike the gases, and their atoms become energized, causing the gas to light up - that's the oversimplified explanation, at least. Have you ever seen a neon sign? They light up because tubes are filled with neon gas and energy is passed through. Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis work in a very similar manner."

"Artemis-"

"-Really, the gases light up because the valence shells of the atoms get overloaded, so they add another valence shell before the energy is too much, and the atom returns to its normal state. The change in the number of valence shells is what causes it to light up, hence the-"

"Arty, shut up." She punched him playfully, and he smiled, shaking out of his lecture mode.

"I've always wondered how we've become friends," he said. "For two people so unlike, it seems as though we have nothing in common."

"Thank Frond for that," she smiled sarcastically.

"I'm not quite done yet, Holly." She rolled her eyes, but he continued on. "I realized that we do have _one_ similarity."

"And that is…?"

"Holly, you're a natural officer, there's no denying it. And of course, I was born a scientist. Now tell me, what traits do these two groups share?"

"You tell me."

"Well, an officer tries to find who committed the crime, looking for clues along the way; their natural interest keeps them searching until they figure exactly ' _whodunnit,'_ or who the culprit was _._ A scientist yearns to find, research and discover the intricacies of the universe. They won't stop searching, looking for clues that lead to their inquisitiveness being satisfied. See where I'm going with this?"

"So basically, that was the most complicated way of saying that we're both curious people."

"Precisely."

"So… you could've said that, but you had to draw it out in _another_ lecture."

"And that is where the similarities end, my dear friend. It seems as though not everyone has patience."

"Come on, Arty. You know that if it weren't for me, you'd be bored out of your mind in front of a computer screen."

"I'll admit, you speak the truth."

_Dear God, she's stunning._

_"_ And you, Artemis Fowl, speak anything _but_ the truth," she said, passive aggressively.

Artemis felt his hands sweat, despite the cold. His eyes refused to make contact with Holly's. "Holly..." he said. "Can you forgive me?"

"Artemis, you know I can't do it that easily. It's just that sometimes, no matter how hard I want to, I can't always trust you. You're my best friend, and I'm a forgiving person, but I'm not sure how many more times you can lie to me, embarrass me, or just break me to pieces before putting me back together again."

"Well… are you _curious_ enough to find out?"

" _Artemis_ -"

"Can you trust me again? Is that so hard to do?"

"Listen, Arty. I need time with these things. I- I think that I'll forgive you one day, but not now."

"You always told me, _in another time._ This _is_ the other time, Holly."

"Well, try something new, Arty. If you can't win my trust by asking, show me that I can believe you. Show me, that no matter what, you're still doing the right thing. You're making me curious, mud boy. So, _show me._ "

Artemis leaned in, tilting her chin up. Her eyes were watery, her lip quivering slightly. He felt vulnerable, like a chick spreading its wings to fly, ready to embrace the world... or its death. Artemis handled her like a gentle feather, caressing her hair while embracing her tightly. He began to close the distance and-

" _You've got the shipment for me, correct?"_ Holly's helmet speakers crackled to life.

_"Everything's in the crates, ready to go."_

_"And how is Haven doing?_ " Said a female voice.

_"The LEP's got the advantage so far, but they'll be gone once these mini nukes arrive."_

_"Perfect. The payment will be delivered in a few days."_

_"And how can I trust your word for that?"_

_"You don't question me, or Giselle, unless you want to be vaporized yourself. Is that clear?"_

_"Yes, Alder."_

_"Now, scram. You're making me late to my next meeting. New York isn't far, but trust me when I say that I wanted you gone since yesterday."_

Artemis and Holly pulled away and immediately averted each other's gaze, blushing profusely.

"Did you get visuals, ponyboy?"

"Yeah, I've got them both." Foaly cackled like a maniac, leaving Artemis and Holly to wince in embarrassment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the grand finale!


	6. All That Jazz

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah... The grand finale has arrived. I present to you, the one time Artemis Fowl did confess his inner demons -his feelings.

Naturally, the criminals that Artemis and Holly were chasing were going to the most formal and classy jazz club in the whole of New York City - a perfect place for a date. And of course, Artemis and Holly had to follow.

It was as easy as skewering a stink worm, since Foaly took barely thirty seconds to hack their shuttle comm line to find their destination. It turned out that they were meeting with Tony Sharpe, a weapons manufacturer and the CEO of the multi-billion dollar company _Sharpe Industries_.

Foaly's voice went on speaker through Holly's helmet. "Just saying, you two need to dress for this place. Sorry Holly, but combat boots and an LEP uniform don't really match the dress code. You can't be dressed like that on Arty's first date."

Artemis ignored the centaur's remark. "That won't be a problem, Foaly. However, I'm worried about her height. Her ears should be fine with a few Nu-skin patches, but I'm not sure that a child at a jazz club would seem appropriate to any bystanders."

"Who do you think I am, mud boy? I've already arranged N°1 to meet up with you at Central Park. Though, you'll have to find a dress after he casts the spell. Artemis, you'll be fine in the suit like always."

"Good to know."

"So," Holly said. "The plan is just plant the seeker sleeper on both pixies, leave the club pretending like nothing happened, and Retrieval does the rest, right?"

"That's right. The Commander said no guns, though he's not exactly sure if you'll follow the rules this time."

"I'm certain that Holly will be fine, Foaly."

"Remember, you two. The goal is to _not_ stand out. No punching, no verbal abuse. Just another couple enjoying their date, alright?"

"Yes, Foaly, we get it. But you don't mind if I punch Artemis a couple times just to keep him in line, right?"

_Damn Recon jocks._

* * *

"Ah, Ferdinand! It's a pleasure to see you. After all, it's been too long," said Artemis.

"Oh, Artemis, Holly! I've missed you so much!" N°1 ran on his stubby legs to greet Artemis and Holly. Apparently, even after disguising himself, he still had short legs.

"Qwan's been giving you some intense training, hasn't he?" Asked Holly.

"Yeah, but I've learned a lot! He says I have more potential than anyone he's seen, and I just have to learn to control my emotions before I can do any harm. You remember the troll dung incident, right, Holly?"

"Er- yeah, let's not talk about that."

"I have to say, I am slightly amused," said Artemis.

"Shut it, mud boy." Artemis cocked an eyebrow at Holly, and she smirked in response.

"As much as I'd like to catch up with you N°1, we're running short on time before our targets get here. Make it quick, if you will."

N°1, or Ferdinand's eyes glowed red, preparing for the use of magic. "So… I'm warning you before I do this, but it might feel a bit weird. Are you ready, Holly?"

"Will it hurt?"

"No. I just need you to take your clothes off."

" _What!?"_

"Kidding, that was a joke, a wisecrack, quip, witticism."

Artemis and Holly collectively breathed a sigh of relief. _Thank Frond. Never again._

"Alright, in three, two-"

"- _Oof."_ Holly's skin bubbled and grew. To any Central Park observer, it would look like a pair of kids playing tag in the field, thanks to N°1's illusion spells. Little did they know, the world's most powerful warlock was in their presence, disguising a less-than-eager LEP officer.

Red sparks cocooned Holly, and N°1's rune appeared above their heads for a quick second, then vanished. After the flurry of sparks subsided, Holly was revealed.

She was still wearing her LEP uniform, but she grew about two feet. A bit short for human standards, but gargantuan for elves. Her ears were now rounded, but the rest of her features were the same.

"I guess you topped up my tank while you were at it. Strong stuff. Thanks N°1." Holly bent down and hugged N°1, and immediately regretted it.

"Nope, I'm never getting used to that. Too spongy."

"Alright, Holly. We need to get going. Thank you, N°1, and best wishes to the rest of your training."

"Have fun on your date!" He snickered. Then, Ferdinand disappeared. The only trace of him ever being there were the few red sparks that winked out in his place.

* * *

Today in New York City was the same as always, bustling with tourists, angry businessmen, and hotdog stands.

"You humans sure know how to get people to waste their money. Luxury sports car my ass. They don't even use nuclear fuel!"

Artemis sighed. "There are just some things that we can't change about the world. Idiots, liars, and psychos."

"And I assume that you're all three?"

"Holly, you wound me." She aimed a punch at him, but thanks to her adjusted height, she aimed a little _too_ high… right on is jaw.

" _Oof."_ Artemis winced and his hand covered his already-forming bruise. "And I believe _you're_ the psychotic one."

"Suits me just fine," she said, and immediately felt bad. "Sorry about that, Arty. Here." She held his hand, trusting the sleeves of their clothes to cover up her magic. Knowing what she was about to do, he pulled up the collar of his suit. A few sparks winked on his face, but they were unnoticeable to the casual observer.

"Better?"

"Much, thank you." His smile was warm, easygoing.

They continued their walk, hand in hand throughout all of New York.

* * *

" _Ugh, finding clothes is impossible!"_

"Holly, please. We just need a dress for tonight, and we're still behind schedule. Just try this one." He handed her a petite green cocktail dress over the change room door.

After hearing some grunts and _d'arvits_ , Holly emerged. Artemis couldn't help but watch with his mouth agape. _Green was_ so _her color._

Aware of his staring, he quickly averted his gaze to her face.

"Ahem. Are we ready?"

"Are we ever?"

* * *

The _Birdland Jazz Club_ was posh, elegant, and striking; and best of all, the perfect place for a date. Or a fake date. And illegal meetings.

Either way, the club was a popular place for many New Yorkers, native or tourists. Artemis and Holly scrambled in.

"D'arvit," Holly said. "We're late, aren't we?"

"If you hadn't made a fuss about your dress, we wouldn't be."

Holly would have replied, but something else caught her attention. "Arty, to your right. By the third table."

"Got it. We'll get a table next to the bar - it'll be close enough to monitor them."

They sat down, and a young waitress came by. She was blonde with warm grey eyes, and Artemis didn't abuse her in any way, unlike the Spiro incident in London. The waitress quickly picked the menus up and left. Despite the calm setting, Holly couldn't help but feel a bit surprised at Artemis's newfound manners, and just a _bit_ jealous.

"Holly, what's the matter?" Asked Artemis. "Are you mad at the waitress?"

"How'd you know?"

"You have fists, your ears are slightly red, and your breathing has become more intense. Need I go on?"

"No, you're right," she said.

"Then why are you mad? She seemed rather nice, did she not?"

"No, it's- that's not the problem."

"Then, what is the problem?" He asked.

"You."

Artemis tried to hide it, but he was hurt. Perhaps his usual facade was cracking, or Holly knew him too well.

"Holly, I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but we never finished our conversation in the shuttleport, did we?"

Holly gulped a little bit. "Arty…"

"...Holly, this _is_ another time. Can I show you how much I've changed? Can I show you exactly how much I wish I regret all the things I did?" He leaned in, grasping her hands in his. He felt the callouses earned after many years of being in the LEP, the ring of scar tissue around her trigger finger.

"Artemis, now's not the time."

"When?"

"We'll talk _after_ the mission. We're supposed to be monitoring Alder and Giselle, remember?"

_Girls are impossible, but I'll wait._

_Only for you._

"Alright, then. Whatever you wish."

They abruptly changed the topic, reminiscing about their old adventures. Awkwardness filled the room, but only for Artemis and Holly. Around them, people were carefree, and their spirits were high.

Around them, the jazz combo played some soulful blues, the saxophone expressive and rich. He was in the middle of a solo, notes and fingers flying about. Naturally, Artemis had to be the critic.

"His tone is masterful, yet his intonation could use a bit of work. Notice on that second last note, he was about eight cents sharp."

"Arty, just shut it."

"I'm a firm believer that in order to improve, one must receive criticism."

"Well, personally, _I_ think you're wound up too tight. Come on, let's go." Holly nodded her head in the direction of their criminals. The pixie couple was dancing together, and it seemed that their contact - Tony Sharpe - picked a pretty blonde up from the bar, and was dancing too.

"Artemis, you do know how to dance, right?" Holly felt a bit worried. After all, any unwanted attention could be disastrous for their plan.

Artemis couldn't help but blush as he put a hand on her waist. "Well, yes. My mother forced me to take lessons as a child."

"What? No Irish jig dancing for you?"

"No, nothing of the sort." He chuckled, reminiscing old memories. "You know, my father knows the traditional riverdance quite well, actually. He tried to teach me once."

"I take it you weren't coordinated enough for that?"

"I'm allowed to have some secrets, aren't I?"

"Shhh."

They stepped together, fumbling at first before settling into the groove of the music. At first, the pair couldn't help but blush at their mistakes, but later found the dancing rather enjoyable.

Holly leaned closer to Artemis, her scent intoxicating to him. _Grass and citrus._

" _Bring me in closer,"_ she said. Artemis blinked before realizing what she meant. He swerved around the dancing couples, closing in on their criminals. Holly was rather impressed, as he didn't fumble the whole way there.

" _Are we ready, Holly?"_ She nodded, reaching for the two seeker sleepers in her pocket. She got a bit closer before stealthily placing them in the pixies' pockets, allowing them to be activated later. She smiled at Artemis, knowing their mission was successful. Before allowing the pixies to find out, Artemis and Holly swerved away.

"I'd say that was our easiest mission yet."

"Don't get too cocky, mud boy."

"I suppose I shouldn't let my guard down, after all." They kept dancing to the jazz ballad _My Funny Valentine._ The singer crooned out the lyrics, all while Artemis held Holly close. In his good mood, Artemis couldn't help but sing along. Holly was surprised at his masterful tenor voice, and she smiled as they danced about.

" _My funny valentine..._

_Sweet, comic valentine…"_

Holly flushed at his words, unsure if he was singing along for the sake of it, or if there was a hidden meaning behind it all. She decided not to ask, for his smile was carefree and light - she didn't want to interrupt, after all. Their success in the mission must've brought that out of him.

"So, technically _,_ we've finished the mission, have we not?"

"And your point is…?"

"Can we finally finish what we started?"

Holly quickly averted his gaze, knowing where this was going.

"Yes," she said.

He chuckled, his voice vibrating against Holly's chest.

"You know," he said. "At the risk of sounding cliche, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time…"

Holly looked up and saw Artemis Fowl flustered, his gaze at the ground. She wasn't used to that look on his face, but she had to admit, she found it quite… _endearing._

"And that is-?"

_Boom!_

_D'arvit, we spoke too soon._

The sound was clearly a gunshot, though Artemis and Holly weren't sure where it came from. However, they were certain that the bullet was for them. Holly grabbed Artemis's wrist, ducking for cover behind the tables.

"Holly, this cover is insufficient. We need to go behind the bar."

"No time, Arty." Holly would have commented on Artemis giving her orders, but decided to shake her head in response.

"Activate the seeker sleepers. They should work, shouldn't they?"

Holly ducked, activating her wrist computer disguised as a smartwatch. She activated the pills, but the fire didn't cease.

"D'arvit. They must've known we were coming, so they jammed our signals."

Unsure of what to do next, she pulled her Neutrino out, hidden under the skirt of her dress, ready to fire at a moment's notice.

"Even though Trouble told you specifically _not_ to bring your Neutrino, I'm not surprised you broke the rules. _Again._ "

Holly's gaze was trained on the sight of her weapon, but she found the time to look up and give Artemis a smirk.

_I can't help but realize how stunning she truly is. Our lives are in danger, yet the only thing I can think about is her._

Artemis shook his head, clearing his thoughts. _Focus, Artemis. Find your convicts. Think in the mind of a criminal, and you have your location._

He scanned the club, looking for their attackers. More shots rang, and chaos was everywhere. Civilians sprinted through the doors, clogging up like a traffic jam. Artemis was glad to see that no innocents had been injured so far.

_If I were firing shots, I would want the most cover with the easiest view._ He quickly spotted the two pixies behind a wine rack, near the bar.

"Holly, aim for the wine rack."

"Am I not supposed to aim for the pixies?" Then, the realization hit her. " _Oh."_

"'Oh,' is correct."

"But I'm using a Neutrino - wouldn't it explode?" More shots echoed out.

"That's the point."

Holly couldn't help but grin like a fool. "I like the way you think, mud boy."

She fired at the rack, her aim true - not that Artemis was surprised, of course. The world around them seemed to slow down for a moment as the laser beam collided with the first wine bottle. The explosion seemed to rattle the now-empty club, glass shards flying about. Two pixies slumped on the floor, their magic buzzing around them.

"Luckily, the alcohol content in the wine isn't too strong, so the blast isn't enough to kill them."

Holly stood up from behind the table, surveying the damage. Glass shards and scorch marks littered the area.

_Dear Frond, this is Hamburg and Italy all over again._

"Well, it looks like Trouble's taking my badge away," she said.

"I doubt it, Holly. You're the best the LEP has to offer." In that split second, Artemis felt his stomach churn. "Holly?"

He quickly turned around to see Holly with her hands up, facing a middle-aged man. A pistol was pointed straight towards his face.

"Ah, Tony Sharpe," he said, raising his arms above his head. "I was hoping we'd meet under better conditions. After all, I was rather fond of your research. I must say, your work on the arc reactor was very impressive. Or at least, I thought it was. It's a shame to know that you were just trading weapons for an edge to the competition." Holly's expression warned Artemis to shut up before they got shot.

"The flattery won't get you anywhere, Artemis Fowl. Let's keep this short. You let me go, without tracking me, and I'll leave you here intact. Deal?"

"How can we trust you?"

"I'm many things, Fowl. A businessman, a criminal, a thief. However, I'm a man of my word. Does that help?"

"Not at all," said Artemis, cautiously walking towards him. Despite the man being taller and stronger, Artemis sized him up, trying to intimidate him - and it worked. His vampire smirk caused Tony's adam's apple to bob.

_I've got to keep him talking,_ thought Artemis.

"Keep in mind, Sharpe, that if you do cause any harm, we will find a way to _ruin_ you. Your company's stocks will crash, and your bank accounts will seemingly empty overnight. Look at Giselle and Alder," said Artemis, nodding his over to the two unconscious pixies. "You wouldn't want to end up like them, now would you?"

"Listen here, you little punk-"

_Boom._

For a mere split-second, Artemis thought that they'd won, only to feel his arms clutch his stomach.

_Thud._

His body collapsed to the ground, eyes still open. He was glad to see that his distraction had worked, for Holly unshielded and fired a shot from her Neutrino - straight into Tony Sharpe's head. Artemis was sure that would put him in a coma for a good while.

" _Artemis!_ " She rushed over to him, kneeling by his side. "D'arvit, Arty. Don't let me lose you…"

She removed his bloodied suit jacket to reveal a bullet hole, clean through his torso. There was no bullet, for it had exited right out of his back. Holly shuddered, taking in the scene before her. Glass was strewn about, scorch marks decorated the bar, with three- no, four unconscious bodies lying on the floor.

_Focus, Holly. You've done this before._

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. " _Heal_ ," she whispered, voice breaking. Just like the many times she had to heal Artemis's injuries, the words she uttered were a wish, a plea. The sparks flowed around him, targeting the wound. Bones knit together, tissue reformed, and blood replicated.

Artemis's body convulsed and shuddered once again, his body making sure that he was fully functional. Then, he collapsed on the ground, taking in deep breaths and cracking open his eyes.

"Holly," he said, smiling fondly. "You never seem to stop saving me, huh?" Tears began to well up in Holly's eyes in sheer relief.

"Well, stop scaring me like that. Arty, I was so worried I'd lost you-"

"Shh, we're fine now. It's over."

"Do you think it'll ever be over?"

Artemis chuckled. "No, it won't. But maybe, we should just enjoy the small victories instead."

Holly met his gaze, her smile radiant. "I think this counts as a small victory, don't you think? We finished our mission, we got our criminals, and we're not dead."

"And our mission is over... so that means…"

Holly smirked. "Alright, mud boy. Show me what you've got."

Artemis brought his hands to Holly's face, pulling her down as he lay on the ground. And finally, finally, their lips met in a longing kiss - a kiss that meant forgiveness, a new start.

All while Artemis's lips smirked against hers.

"So… have you finally forgiven me?"

"Silly mud boy. Of course I have."

"For a moment there, you had me worried. After all… "

Holly smiled down at him, her fiery hair framing her face.

"After all...?"

"After all… I couldn't deal without you. I love you, Holly. So much."

For it was moments like these, where he would give anything to stay by her side.

**_FIN._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is - the one time Artemis did confess his inner demons. With the whole pandemic situation going on, I decided to try something new and found out that I really enjoyed writing this story. So thanks to everyone who came along on this journey that is my first complete fanfic. Feedback and opinions are appreciated!


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